01 · Überblick
The three-door that never existed without the facelift
The E81 is the third body style of the 1 Series family and the only one for which no pre-facelift version exists. It appeared at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2007 — precisely at the time when the five-door E87 received its facelift. Anyone buying an E81 therefore always gets the revised face with clear-glass headlights, rectangular fog lights and the chrome trim strip above the lower air intake.
The second peculiarity concerns the dimensions. It is persistently claimed that the three-door is shorter than the five-door. This is not true. Both measure 4,239 millimetres. The frequently cited 4,227 mm is the length of the five-door before the facelift — comparing the two figures means comparing model years, not body styles.
What actually differs: two significantly longer doors with frameless windows, an undivided rear side window and two individual seats in the rear as standard from the factory. The bench seat was available at no extra cost. And across all engine variants, the three-door weighs exactly ten kilograms less.
02 · Historie
Five years of production
The milestones of the three-door.
- 2007 World premiere on 8 March in Geneva, market launch end of May. From 26 May, the Limited Sport Edition, limited to 2,000 units, is available in Carbon Black.
- 2009 In March, new entry-level engines arrive: the 116d with 116 PS and a 116i now based on the two-litre N43.
- 2009 In September, the output of the 130i drops from 265 to 258 PS.
- 2010 In April, the millionth 1 Series rolls off the line in Leipzig — a 118d three-door.
- 2012 End of production in July.
03 · Modellübersicht
The Engines
The 125i and 135i never existed in the three-door — they remained reserved for the Coupé and Convertible. Conversely, the 130i was only available in the hatchback models.
Technische Daten anzeigen — komplette Modellmatrix
| Modell | Motor | Hubraum | Leistung | Bauzeit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116i | N43B16 | 1.597 cm³ | 122 PS (90 kW) | 03/2007–02/2009 |
| 116i | N43B20 | 1.995 cm³ | 122 PS (90 kW) | 03/2009–07/2012 |
| 118i | N43B20 | 1.995 cm³ | 143 PS (105 kW) | ab 03/2007 |
| 120i | N43B20 | 1.995 cm³ | 170 PS (125 kW) | ab 03/2007 |
| 130i | N52B30 | 2.996 cm³ | 265 PS (195 kW), ab 09/2009 258 PS (190 kW) | until 07/2012 |
| 116d | N47D20 | 1.995 cm³ | 116 PS (85 kW) | 03/2009–07/2012 |
| 118d | N47D20 | 1.995 cm³ | 143 PS (105 kW) | 03/2007–07/2012 |
| 120d | N47D20 | 1.995 cm³ | 177 PS (130 kW) | 03/2007–07/2012 |
| 123d | N47D20 with sequential turbocharging | 1.995 cm³ | 204 PS (150 kW) | 03/2007–07/2012 |
04 · Karosserievarianten
Karosserievarianten
Three-door hatchback
The only body style of this variant. Frameless windows in two long doors, undivided rear side window, two individual seats in the rear as standard from the factory. Dimensions and wheelbase correspond exactly to the five-door after its facelift.
05 · Motoren
Two engines that explain the three-door
N52B30 · 2.996 cm³ · 265 PS — 130i geprüft
The last naturally aspirated six-cylinder in the compact car, and an engine that never existed in the Coupé. 265 PS at 6,650 rpm in a car weighing around 1.4 tonnes, plus rear-wheel drive — the 130i is the reason this model line is sought after today. From September 2009, output dropped to 258 PS.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.996 cm³ |
| Leistung | 265 PS (195 kW) at 6,650/min |
| Drehmoment | 315 Nm at 2,750/min |
| ab 09/2009 | 258 PS, 310 Nm at 2,600–3,000/min |
| Verfügbar | three-door and five-door only |
Wikipedia — BMW E87
N47D20 · 1.995 cm³ · 204 PS — 123d geprüft
Two litres of displacement, 204 PS and 400 Nm via two-stage sequential turbocharging. At the time, the 123d was the most powerful two-litre four-cylinder diesel in the world. It shares its engine family with the weaker diesels — and therefore also their timing chain issue.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 1.995 cm³ |
| Leistung | 204 PS (150 kW) at 4,400/min |
| Drehmoment | 400 Nm at 2,000–2,250/min |
| Aufladung | two-stage sequential turbocharging |
| Verdichtung | 16,0:1 |
Wikipedia — BMW E87, BMW data sheet
06 · Schwachstellen
Known Weak Points
- Timing chain of the N47 diesels. All diesels in the E81 are N47 units. The simplex timing chain is located on the transmission side, which means the engine has to be removed for replacement. Over time, BMW modified the gears, chain and chain tensioner, and in early 2014 extended the goodwill policy to eight years and 200,000 kilometres; from around 2013 the issue is considered resolved — meaning it is relevant for the E81 across its entire production run. There is no BMW source that acknowledges the defect; the evidence comes from Wikipedia and the BBC research cited there.
07 · Technik
Technik
What defines the three-door
The dimensions are identical
No Model Without the Facelift
Which Engines Are Missing
08 · Motorsport
Motorsport
No factory programme. The Limited Sport Edition of 2007, however, was explicitly inspired by Andy Priaulx’s WTCC car and featured 18-inch WTCC wheels with Motorsport lettering.
09 · Kaufberatung
What to Look Out for When Buying
With the E81, the engine is decisive. The petrol engines are considered unremarkable, while the diesels have one known issue.
The 130i is the car you would want to keep long-term within this model line. It is also the only one with a naturally aspirated six-cylinder that existed in the three-door.
10 · Die Konkurrenz
Die Konkurrenz
Audi A3 (8P)
The direct rival — but with front-wheel drive. The 1 Series was the only compact in its class with rear-wheel drive.
Volkswagen Golf V/VI
Unattainable in terms of sales volume, and conceptually the opposite: transverse engine, front-wheel drive, more space.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W169)
Sandwich floor instead of a longitudinal engine — a completely different answer to the same question.
11 · Galerie
Galerie
12 · Quellen